Chances are you've heard that the GLP-1 drugs called semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and liraglutide (Victoza and Saxenda), which are used for weight management and/or control of Type 2 diabetes, also benefit heart health, glucose control, fatty liver disease, and high blood pressure.
Now two new studies indicate they're associated with a reduced risk of cataracts and age-related dry macular degeneration (AMD).
The first study, published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology, found that people who took semaglutide or liraglutide were significantly less likely to develop age-related cataracts over the span of 10 years than people taking non-GLP-1 weight-loss drugs or not taking any at all.
In the second study, published in JAMA Ophthalmology, primary analysis showed that for those without diabetes, GLP-1s reduced the risk of developing dry AMD by around 84%, 87%, and 91% over five-, seven-, and 10-year time periods, compared to people on non-GLP-1 weight-loss meds.
If you're at risk for cataracts or AMD, talk to your ophthalmologist about the potential benefits of these medications.
The National Eye Institute also suggests that if you smoke, you should quit. In addition, stay healthy with a plant-based diet and plenty of physical activity; use sunglasses; wear protective eyewear when playing sports; and don't be glued to a digital screen. Take a break every 20 minutes to look at something about 20 feet away for 20 seconds.
You can also take 1,100 mg of DHA omega-3 daily.